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Poulsbo & Beyond An on-going conversation focused on the community of Poulsbo, fueled by local resident Rich Jacobson.

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Monthly Archives: May 2010

This blog is a Kitsap Sun reader blog. The Kitsap Sun neither edits nor previews reader blog posts. Their content is the sole creation and responsibility of the readers who produce them. Reader bloggers are asked to adhere to our reader blog agreement. If you have a concern or would like to start a reader blog of your own, please contact sunnews@kitsapsun.com.

Back when I began my career in middle management, I remember
reading the book “The One Minute Manager.’ Many of the principles
contained in that little 100-page paperback have stayed with me
down through the years, one in particular:

“Catch People Doing
Something Right and Praise Them”

Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of
attending the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce
President’s Luncheon at The Silverdale Beach Hotel. Chamber
Executive Director Michael Broome and his capable
staff have been doing an amazing job lately of generating
tremendous excitement, support, and success for the Chamber
organization.

Kitsap County Commissioner, Josh Brown, was the keynote speaker,
and he provided a brief overview of some of the projects he has
personally been involved in that directly impact Central
Kitsap.

So many times our elected officials
are in a rather thankless situation and bear the brunt of endless
criticism. Just for a change, I thought I would ‘catch’ Josh Brown red-handed, and praise him
for doing something right!

As an avid crabbing enthusiast and
boater, I am deeply indebted to Josh Brown’s dogged determination and
efforts in saving the Olympic View Marina
(formerly Seabeck) project from a near deathly demise. All of the
environmental hoop-jumping is finally over, permits issued, and
work is underway. The Kitsap County side of
Hood Canal will at long last have a first-class
protected harbor and full-service marina facility with mooring.

As a Silverdale WA
resident living on the west side of Hwy 3, the newly opened
Greaves Way offers much needed relief to the
congestion along Anderson Hill Road and allows easier access to
North Silverdale, Kitsap Mall, and Waaga Way. Additionally, it
opens up access to 400+ acres of prime commercial development area.
Josh Brown played in integral part in
getting this project funded and successfully completed, one of the
first major road expansions for Central Kitsap in over a
decade.

Lastly, Josh Brown has been instrumental in
making the long-delayed vision of a Central Kitsap
Community Campus a reality by partnering with the YMCA of
Pierce & Kitsap Counties, and along with the very generous
contributions of the Ross and Hasslewood Families.

In the upcoming election, Josh Brown deserves our support and
our vote for another term of leadership to ensure the continued
course of valued progress for the residents of Central Kitsap.

If you follow my blog here on the Kitsap Sun,
you know I’ve written several articles and commented on many others
regarding the recent School Levy renewal in Central
Kitsap and the difficult challenges facing our local
school district administrators and education professionals.

Some of the other comments I’ve encountered were less than
constructive and simply vented misplaced criticism.

Well, here is your opportunity to actively participate in the
process and make a positive contribution!

The Central Kitsap School District is currently
seeking a volunteer to serve as a community member on its Community
Finance Committee.

This committee, appointed by the Board of Directors, is a vital
link between the district and the community at large. Studying the
financial affairs of the district and advising the school board is
one of the best ways to learn firsthand about the challenges facing
our school administrators and having a positive impact on the
priorities of the school district.

“As we look ahead, our challenge is to focus our resources in
the right places,” said David McVicker, executive director of
business and operations. “The willingness of valued volunteers to
participate and provide feedback is appreciated as we shape the
future of our schools and advance our mission of All
Students Learning Well.”

For anyone interested in this volunteer position, please contact
the CKSD Business Office at (360) 662-1650 for application
materials, which includes a copy of Board Policy 1240 that details
a full understanding of the guiding principles, responsibilities,
and operating procedures of the committee.

The first meeting of the 2010-11 Community Finance Committee
will be held in September.

Before Jason invited me, I was absolutely clueless as to what
the Rotary was all about. It all began in Chicago back in 1905. A
local attorney started a service club that would ‘rotate’ their
meetings from office to office, hence the name ‘Rotary.’ Today, 1.2
million Rotarians belong to over 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than
200 countries, and pool their resources and talents to help serve
communities in need. The organization’s dedication to this ideal is
best expressed in its motto: “Service Above Self.”

I was more concerned about being subjected to some kind of
secret initiation rites involving black hooded robes and wooden
paddles. Jason assured me it was safe.

What made this particular luncheon so enjoyable was that it was
the Rotary’s monthly habit of honoring local high school
students. There were 8 students from Central Kitsap High and
Klahowya Secondary School being recognized for school
leadership, academic excellence, and community
involvement.

Greg Lynch, Superintendent of Central
Kitsap School District, was on hand to offer words of
praise and appreciation to both students and their parents in
attendance.

We are fortunate to have local organizations like the Rotary who
invest back into our community and make a global impact by
partnering with organizations like Children of the Nations.

We are additionally blessed to live in a community that has one
of the finest school districts in the State, and is comprised of
such talented and committed educators!

Rumor has it that the recently vacated Circuit City location
will be the home for Kitsap County’s long-awaited
Trader Joe’s.

Trader Joe’s is the exclusive retailer of Charles Shaw
wine, lovingly referred to as Two Buck Chuck because
of its $1.99 price tag in California. In other States, it sells for
around $3 a bottle due to varying state liquor taxes and
transportation costs.

In a recent blog post, Kitsap Sun reporter Brynn
Grimley stated that her sources denied any pending plans for a
Trader Joes in Kitsap County and projected at
least a couple years before any possibility of a store here would
occur.